Polish Halt of Border Deal Contradicts Intentions of Better Relations - Moscow

Poland’s decision not to resume local cross-border traffic under a deal with Russia contradicts Warsaw’s stated intention to normalize relations with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Poland introduced temporary border controls due to the NATO summit that took place in Warsaw on July 8-9 and the World Youth Day in late July. Earlier in August, Poland decided to leave in place the restrictions in respect of Russia's westernmost Kaliningrad Region. Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Monday that regular movement between Poland and Kaliningrad would be resumed as soon as "the causes that related to the security of the Polish state disappear."

"We took note of radio comments by Polish Interior Minister Blaszczak on the Polish authorities’ decision not to resume the action of the deal," the statement said.

According to the statement, Poland’s move will result in the curtailment of "one of the last positive examples of successful and pragmatic cooperation" between Moscow and Warsaw.

"We regret that in practice, Warsaw’s actions diverge with its repeated statements about readiness to work towards the normalization of the Russian-Polish relations," the statement said.

The Russia-Poland agreement on local border traffic came into force in July 2012. Entire Kaliningrad region, as well as Poland's Warmia and Mazury and Pomerania are partly included in the deal. Under the deal, the residents of these areas who register with local border traffic are allowed multiple border crossings and stays on the territory of the other country.